I can't do this anymore
by Joy Booth
Summary: Ward always knew it was something he would have to put up with. It was part of her, but today maybe be the day she pushes him too far... (In the same family as I can' t do this without you)


It started with a robin, or more accurately robin's eggs. When they had moved into the new house, Skye had been thrilled to find a robin nesting in the big oak tree in the front yard. She spent a few minutes every morning drinking her coffee and watching the robin, which she affectionately called Roberta. They had been in the house a few months when Skye came running into the kitchen.

"There are eggs in the nest!" She exclaimed.

"Cool," Ward answered never turning from the stove where he was working on breakfast.

"It is cool! So cool! Another little family living here."

He turned then, smiling at the idea of their little family and pulled her into a hug dropping a kiss to the top of her head. She tipped her face up, so he kissed her lips.

A week later he came into the kitchen to find her arranging a stack of towels and a space heater on the table.

"Honey, you know I love you, but we just moved in. I think it's a little early to be burning this place to the ground."

She peeked over her shoulder and he saw tears in her eyes. "Roberta's dead. I think it was that stupid cat next door, but I am trying to save the eggs."

He put a hand on her shoulder and looked into the pile of towels. In the center were three little blue robin's eggs. He knew her well enough to know there was no fighting this. "Ok, we can try to help them, but there has to be a way that isn't a major fire hazard. I'll google it."

Sure enough, the information was on the internet. Five days later the eggs hatched. She named them Huey, Dewy and Louie. Skye spent weeks hand feeding them. When they were ready, she taught them to hunt for worms. Dewy was the first to leave. She knew because he had a white mark on his read chest. The next morning Huey was gone too, but Louie stayed another week. He landed on her finger every morning like she was Mary Poppins. Ward rolled his eyes, but if he was being honest he thought it was kind of magical.

Unfortunately, it didn't end when Louie left. After that she brought home Tony the turtle. A few months later Ward spent a weekend building a hutch for Bugs Bunny in the back yard. Louie came back the following summer and her name changed to Louisa. She inhabited the nest in the oak tree and a month later Skye named her babies Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy.

A few months after their daughter, Stella, was born Skye brought home Atticus. She found him in the alley behind he grocery store.

"Skye, a dog is a lot of work."

"I know but just look at his face, Ward. He needs a home."

It was really her face that he couldn't resist. By the time Stella was a year old, Atticus was huge. She would pull herself up with his tail and lean on him to walk. He matched her pace with annoyed acceptance. Though, he never so much as growled at her. It turned out that Skye had brought home a Great Dane puppy. Ward wasn't even surprised. When she did things, it was always big.

Over the next few years, more strays were added. A garden snake who Stella named Hiss, a black cat the named May and squirrel who frequented their backyard so much Skye named him Nutkin and installed a special feeder for him. The day she brought home a skunk, he drew the line.

Skye and Stella were making a towel newest on the table when he got home.

"Who do we have now? A mouse? Mole? Fox?" He asked, as he started pulling things out for dinner.

"Skunk!" Stella beamed.

"What? No, Skye I love you. You know I do, but I have to draw a line. One spray and we will have to move."

Skye shook her head and waved off his concern. "It was our stupid…."

"Mama! You not aupposed to say that word!"

"Sorry Baby, I mean our a-s-s-h-o-l-e neighbor set out traps to catch the Ricky, the raccoon that is always getting in his trash, but he caught this little guy instead. I think his leg is broken."

"It's a wild animal, though Babe. They carry diseases. And on top of that, it's a skunk!"

"I know that, but… it's hurt … and alone… and needs our help…"

"Yeah, Daddy, we gots to help it."

Ward bit his cheeks. Why did his girls have to have such big hearts?

"Ok, we'll take it to the vet, but that's all. This isn't a pet. It's a wild animal."

Skye grinned and Stella launched herself into his arms smothering him with kisses. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Daddy. We'll call him Oreo."

Three hours later, Skye came out of the vets office snuggling Oreo like a newborn. Ward knew without a word that they had just added another member to their ever growing family.

"They said his tests are clean," she offered.

"And?"

"And they can remove the spray…"

"Okay."

"Okay?" Skye asked, honestly a little surprised.

Ward just nodded. "Just no elephants, ok?"

She pulled him in for a kiss. "Ok!"

 **A/N: there was a instagram of Chloe holding a skunk with this huge grin and Brett just rolling his eyes in the background and I have been meaning to write this ever since.**


End file.
